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Accessible Equipment

Help is on the Way!

Wheelchair user with recumbent machine.For the past eight years, a committee of representatives from the major exercise equipment manufacturers and a few representatives from the disability community have been developing universal design specifications that will add features to standard exercise equipment to make the equipment functional for millions of persons with a disability.  Here are some of the features of fitness machines that will meet the new inclusive specifications:

    • All cardio machines will give audible instructions to visually impaired users through a headphone on how to use the machine, notify the user when changes are made in speed or incline and give feedback during the course of exercise for speed, time elapsed, distance traveled, incline, heart rate, and calories burned,
    • All cardio machines will have a console with raised buttons with tactile markings.  The console and the buttons will be the same for all cardio machines irrespective of the manufacturer.  Once a blind user or a person with an intellectual disability learns how to use one machine, it will be easy to learn how to use other machines.
    • There will be a variety of cardio machines that can be operated from a seated position.
        • Machines where only the arms are used.
        • Machines where the arms move the legs or vice versa.
        • Machines with swivel seats to assist with transfer.
        • Machines with removable seats so that they can be operated from a wheelchair.
    • Strength machines will either have no seat or an easily removable seat.
    • All adjustment mechanisms to operate a strength machine will be reachable from a seated position.

Woman using recumbent machine with standard chair

How You Can Help

To accomplish our objective, we will conduct surveys, file petitions and send letters to:  Congress, equipment manufacturers and fitness facilities.  You can join this effort by joining our LinkedIn group or Facebook page.  In that way, we can notify you when we are doing a survey, circulating a petition or organizing a letter writing campaign.

You can also help with a donation. You will get a big bang for your buck as we have no rent and we only one paid staff member that we need to support.